diff --git a/man/meson.build b/man/meson.build
index 5a8e52042..d3310dc1d 100644
--- a/man/meson.build
+++ b/man/meson.build
@@ -41,54 +41,53 @@ foreach man: mans + introspection_mans
   built_mans += name
 endforeach
 
-if built_mans.length() > 0
-  install_man(built_mans)
-  subdir_done()
+if enable_introspection or enable_docs
+  common_ent_file = configure_file(
+    input: 'common.ent.in',
+    output: '@BASENAME@',
+    configuration: data_conf,
+  )
 endif
 
+if enable_introspection and (enable_man or enable_docs)
+  xsltproc_options = [
+    find_program('xsltproc'),
+    '--output', '@OUTPUT@',
+    '--path', meson.current_build_dir(),
+    '--xinclude',
+    '--nonet',
+    '--stringparam', 'man.output.quietly', '1',
+    '--stringparam', 'funcsynopsis.style', 'ansi',
+    '--stringparam', 'man.th.extra1.suppress', '1',
+    '--stringparam', 'man.authors.section.enabled', '0',
+    '--stringparam', 'man.copyright.section.enabled', '0',
+    '--stringparam', 'man.th.title.max.length', '30',
+  ]
 
-common_ent_file = configure_file(
-  input: 'common.ent.in',
-  output: '@BASENAME@',
-  configuration: data_conf,
-)
+  docbook_xls = 'http://docbook.sourceforge.net/release/xsl/current/manpages/docbook.xsl'
 
-xsltproc_options = [
-  find_program('xsltproc'),
-  '--output', '@OUTPUT@',
-  '--path', meson.current_build_dir(),
-  '--xinclude',
-  '--nonet',
-  '--stringparam', 'man.output.quietly', '1',
-  '--stringparam', 'funcsynopsis.style', 'ansi',
-  '--stringparam', 'man.th.extra1.suppress', '1',
-  '--stringparam', 'man.authors.section.enabled', '0',
-  '--stringparam', 'man.copyright.section.enabled', '0',
-  '--stringparam', 'man.th.title.max.length', '30',
-]
+  mans_xmls = []
 
-docbook_xls = 'http://docbook.sourceforge.net/release/xsl/current/manpages/docbook.xsl'
+  foreach man: mans
+    input = man[0] + '.xml'
+    content_files += join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), input)
 
-mans_xmls = []
+    output = '@0@.@1@'.format(man[0], man[1])
 
-foreach man: mans
-  input = man[0] + '.xml'
-  content_files += join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), input)
+    # not needed if only html requested
+    if enable_man
+      custom_target(
+        output,
+        input: input,
+        output: output,
+        command: xsltproc_options + [docbook_xls, '@INPUT@'],
+        depend_files: common_ent_file,
+        install: true,
+        install_dir: join_paths(nm_mandir, 'man' + man[1]),
+      )
+    endif
+  endforeach
 
-  output = '@0@.@1@'.format(man[0], man[1])
-
-  custom_target(
-    output,
-    input: input,
-    output: output,
-    command: xsltproc_options + [docbook_xls, '@INPUT@'],
-    depend_files: common_ent_file,
-    install: true,
-    install_dir: join_paths(nm_mandir, 'man' + man[1]),
-  )
-endforeach
-
-if enable_introspection
   merge_cmd = files(source_root / 'tools' / 'generate-docs-nm-settings-docs-merge.py')
 
   name = 'dbus'
@@ -151,13 +150,23 @@ if enable_introspection
 
     output = '@0@.@1@'.format(man[0], man[1])
 
-    custom_target(
-      output,
-      input: input,
-      output: output,
-      command: xsltproc_options + [docbook_xls, '@INPUT@'],
-      install: true,
-      install_dir: join_paths(nm_mandir, 'man' + man[1]),
-    )
+    # not needed if only html requested
+    if enable_man
+      custom_target(
+        output,
+        input: input,
+        output: output,
+        command: xsltproc_options + [docbook_xls, '@INPUT@'],
+        install: true,
+        install_dir: join_paths(nm_mandir, 'man' + man[1]),
+      )
+    endif
   endforeach
+# not needed if only html requested
+elif enable_man
+  if built_mans.length() > 0
+    install_man(built_mans)
+  else
+    error('Building manpages requires xsltproc and -Dintrospection=true, and no prebuilt manpages were found. Try building from a release tarball or using -Dman=false.')
+  endif
 endif
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c03d98c15..1e28a7265 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -816,6 +816,7 @@ if enable_nm_cloud_setup
   assert(jansson_dep.found(), 'nm-cloud-setup requires jansson library. Use -Dnm_cloud_setup=false to disable it')
 endif
 
+enable_man = get_option('man')
 enable_docs = get_option('docs')
 
 more_asserts = get_option('more_asserts')
@@ -1001,9 +1002,14 @@ if enable_qt != 'false'
   endif
 endif
 
+# The man/ directory builds a couple targets needed by the docs build too.
+# If we build with docs but no man, then enter the subdir and only build
+# some targets.
+if enable_docs or enable_man
+  subdir('man')
+endif
 if enable_docs
   assert(enable_introspection, '-Ddocs=true requires -Dintrospection=true')
-  subdir('man')
   subdir('docs')
   meson.add_dist_script(
     'tools/meson-dist-data.sh',
@@ -1054,7 +1060,7 @@ meson.add_install_script(
   nm_pkgstatedir,
   nm_mandir,
   nm_sysconfdir,
-  enable_docs ? '1' : '0',
+  enable_man ? '1' : '0',
   enable_ifcfg_rh ? '1' : '0',
   enable_nm_cloud_setup ? '1' : '0',
   install_systemdunitdir ? '1' : '0',
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 18d8bfc44..55762f65d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ option('config_dhcp_default', type: 'combo', choices: ['dhclient', 'dhcpcd', 'in
 option('introspection', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable introspection for this build')
 option('vapi', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'], description: 'build Vala bindings')
 option('docs', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'use to build documentation')
+option('man', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install manpages')
 option('tests', type: 'combo', choices: ['yes', 'no', 'root'], value: 'yes', description: 'Build NetworkManager tests')
 option('firewalld_zone', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install and use firewalld zone for shared mode')
 option('more_asserts', type: 'string', value: 'auto', description: 'Enable more assertions for debugging (0 = no, 100 = all, default: auto)')
diff --git a/tools/meson-post-install.sh b/tools/meson-post-install.sh
index fe85d417a..2560e3d16 100755
--- a/tools/meson-post-install.sh
+++ b/tools/meson-post-install.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ nm_pkglibdir="$4"
 nm_pkgstatedir="$5"
 nm_mandir="$6"
 nm_sysconfdir="$7"
-enable_docs="$8"
+enable_man="$8"
 enable_ifcfg_rh="$9"
 enable_nm_cloud_setup="${10}"
 install_systemdunitdir="${11}"
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ done
 mkdir -p "${DESTDIR}${nm_pkgstatedir}"
 chmod 0700 "${DESTDIR}${nm_pkgstatedir}"
 
-if [ "$enable_docs" = 1 ]; then
+if [ "$enable_man" = 1 ]; then
 
     for alias in nmtui-connect nmtui-edit nmtui-hostname; do
         ln -fn "${DESTDIR}${nm_mandir}/man1/nmtui.1" "${DESTDIR}${nm_mandir}/man1/${alias}.1"
@@ -58,4 +58,3 @@ if [ "$enable_nm_cloud_setup" = 1 -a "$install_systemdunitdir" = 1 ]; then
     ln -sfn '../pre-up.d/90-nm-cloud-setup.sh' "${DESTDIR}${nm_pkglibdir}/dispatcher.d/no-wait.d/90-nm-cloud-setup.sh"
     ln -sfn 'no-wait.d/90-nm-cloud-setup.sh' "${DESTDIR}${nm_pkglibdir}/dispatcher.d/90-nm-cloud-setup.sh"
 fi
-